Circuit boards are used in a variety of industries to track, calculate, and report on information. Circuit design is a complicated process whereby boards are engineered for maximum efficiency. The designers also take into account how the board will be incorporated into its final product. For instance, surface mount technology is where components are directly attached to the board using a soldering iron. Many of these boards use blind and buried vias on both sides of the board. The opposite of SMT manufacturing is thru-hole mounting, which gives a stronger connection and is typically used in prototyping.
Here’s a look at how different industries use circuit boards to innovate and regulate their business.
Industrial and Manufacturing Equipment
For industrial applications, the PCBs need to be very high-powered to stand up to the needs of large assembly lines and production facilities. Additionally, these warehouses and factories like an SMT assembly workshop will often have very harsh physical environments, such as extreme heat or cold.
There are also chemical applications that PCBs need to be able to withstand. As a result, circuit boards for industrial uses are typically made with incredibly resistant materials. They can stand up to a wide range of temperatures as well as harsh chemicals. These circuit boards might be made with more durable metals than those you would find in consumer electronics.
Industrial circuit boards are usually thicker than other types of boards, and they tend to use thru-hole technology to achieve maximum durability. Some examples of industrial applications are electric drills, power inverters, solar cogeneration equipment, and measuring tools that can control temperature, pressure, and other levels.
Medical Devices in Hospitals
More hospitals and healthcare professionals are innovating new uses for printed circuit boards in the medical industry. They are typically used in monitoring and diagnostics. As a result, it is absolutely essential that board manufacturers who work with the medical industry pay strict attention to reliability. Lives are literally on the line when using these devices.
Many PCBs are incorporated into implanted devices, like pacemakers. These boards must also be incredibly sterile and small. These are typically HDI, or high-density interconnects. One major example of medical boards is the CT or CAT imaging system. They also interact with computers to analyze the images, which of course use circuit boards as well.
Not only do doctors use circuit boards but patients use them, too. Heart rate monitors, blood glucose monitors, and insulin pumps rely on printed circuit boards to help patients track their health. PCBs will continue to be very important in the next generation of connected healthcare.
Computers and Home Appliances
Smartphones, computers, and many other everyday electronic devices need circuit boards to operate. Thankfully, they are now quite small so we don’t have to carry around enormous devices. Most consumer electronics PCBs require a high volume of connections, while also requiring a small size. Reliability is also key, so that companies can ensure the best experience for their customers.
Your smartwatch, radio, tablet, and smartphone all need PCBs to work properly. Your computers do, too. If you have any type of entertainment system, like a TV, stereo system, or gaming console, then you have even more PCBs in your home.
Did you know that many home appliances also utilize PCBs? Your coffee maker, refrigerator, and microwave could all use printed circuit boards to track temperature, time, and more.
Safety and Security Programs
In both domestic and federal security systems, circuit boards play a key role. It depends on the particular product, but circuit boards help detect disturbances as well as categorize them. They need to be durable, reliable, and lightweight to be installed in discreet places.
Government buildings use circuit boards in their security cameras and electronic door locks. Your own security system probably uses PCBs to monitor the footage and keep an eye on the motion sensor. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors also need circuit boards to function properly.
As you can see, circuit boards play a key role in keeping people safe and connected both at home and at work. The best security technology is Internet-enabled, and can send the information on the PCB to a user interface somewhere else for remote monitoring.
Automotive Industry
Today’s newest vehicles include PCBs in their onboard entertainment systems. Their navigation systems also rely on circuit boards to organize location data and keep you moving on the right track. Older models of cars only use PCBs in their headlight switches and windshield wipers.
Automotive circuit boards have specific requirements that differentiate them from other industrial applications. For example, the circuit board may need to stand up to very high or low temperatures, depending on where in the vehicle the board will be installed. The boards will also need to be engineered to withstand the intense vibrations of road bumps from thousands of miles of traveling. Because of these reasons, manufacturers typically use aluminum or copper substrates in high-temperature laminates. We will see more innovation and incorporation of circuit boards into vehicles of the future.
Aerospace Applications
Control towers and satellites also use PCBs to guide the safe transit of airplanes through the sky. Plus, airplanes use lots of monitoring equipment that require circuit boards, such as pressure sensors. Of course, airplanes also use telecommunication equipment to stay in touch with ground control and these systems all require circuit boards.
Circuit boards are the foundation of most of our technology, communication, and manufacturing equipment. As the processing power grows and sizes shrink, we will see a variety of new applications for PCBs. We may even see technology that is small enough and reliable enough to embed into the skin, rather than wearing it on the outside. Either way, circuit boards are here to stay and are used in every industry to help manage the flow of digital information.